Last season, Love threw for 3,567 yards and had a five-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio tossing 32 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Leading Utah State to a Top 25 finish and an 11-2 record with a bowl victory.

None of the opposing quarterbacks that Utah State will face in 2019 are ranked higher than Love. The next quarterback from the Mountain West Conference in Athlon’s rankings is Hawaii’s Cole McDonald at No. 32. Utah State doesn’t face Hawaii this season. If Love takes to Mike Sanford Jr.’s new offense the way he did to David Yost’s quick striking attack, it could be another special year for the Aggies.

Tyler Huntley, Utah

Rank: No. 16

Huntley returns from a collarbone injury he suffered last November for his senior year on the hill. All the weapons are in place around Huntley to take Utah’s offense back to the efficient levels they were playing at last October. To get the offense clicking on all cylinders, head coach Kyle Whittingham brought back offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig who brings an offense that might be a better overall fit for Huntley’s dual-threat abilities.

Compared to recent seasons, Utah’s schedule in 2019 has lightened up and it shows in the quarterback rankings from Athlon. No quarterbacks that Utah will face in 2019 are ranked higher than Huntley. Only two quarterbacks from the Pac-12 are above Huntley in Stanford’s K.J. Costello (No.14) and Oregon’s Justin Herbert (No. 5). But the Utes don’t see either of those QBs in the regular season. The only way they meet up with Costello or Herbert is if the Utes meet up in the Pac-12 Championship Game in Santa Clara.

Zach Wilson, BYU

Rank: No. 46

The youngest quarterback of the local starting quarterbacks, Wilson sneaks into the top 50 of Athlon’s starting quarterback rankings.

Wilson’s recovery from shoulder surgery is ahead of schedule and he will be ready to take the bulk of snaps in fall camp. In his first season for BYU, Wilson threw for 1,578 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only three interceptions in seven starts.

The Draper native only started one game against a Power Five opponent and that was against rival Utah to end the regular season last year. BYU opens up the 2019 season with four Power Five programs to begin the year. All four quarterbacks BYU will face in those games are ranked ahead of Wilson in Athlon’s starting quarterback rankings. Utah’s Tyler Huntley (see above), Tennessee’s Jarrett Guarantano at No. 35, USC’s J.T. Daniels at No. 40, and Washington’s Jacob Eason checks in at No. 26. Also above Wilson in the rankings that the Cougars will face this fall is Utah State’s Jordan Love (see above).

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.